Floor tile marking gauge

ABSTRACT

AN ADJUSTABLE TEMPLATE AND GUIDE FRAME FOR MARKING AND CUTTING A TILE TO BE LAID PARALLEL OR PERPENDICULAR TO A MARGINAL STRAIGHT EDGE, SUCH AS A WALL, BOUNDING A ZONE IN WHICH A TILE, CUT ALONG THE GUIDE LINE PROVIDED BY TEMPLATE, IS TO BE LAID WITH RESPECT TO AN UNFILLED RECTANGULAR SPACE FREQUENTLY LEFT BETWEEN THE LAST LAID OLD TILE AND THE MARGINAL EDGE OF A WALL OR THE LIKE, WHICH SPACE IS OF A SIMILAR AREA TO THAT OF THE TILE BEING LAID. THIS NECESSITATES THAT A TILE BE SEVERED TO PROVIDE A PART WHICH FITS INTO SUCH SPACE BETWEEN THE LAST LAID OLD TILE AND THE MARGINAL STRAIGHT EDGE OR WALL. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, THE COMMON PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO BUTT A TILE AGAINST THE WALL, OVERLAPPING IN RELATION TO THE LAST LAID TILE, SCORING A LINE ACROSS THE LAST LAID TILE AT THE OVERLAPPING EDGE OF THE TILE BUTTED AGAINST THE WALL, REMOVING THE LAST LAID TILE AND SEVERING IT ALONG THE LINE TO PROVIDE A PART EQUAL IN AREA TO THE SPACE TO BE FILLED.

Oct. 12, 1971 5, RED 351L579 FLOOR TILE MARKING GAUGE Filed March 9, 1970 RICHARD E REID INVENTOR.

BYWXW United States Patent 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An adjustable template and guide frame for marking and cutting a tile to be laid parallel or perpendicular to a marginal straight edge, such as a wall, bounding a zone in which a tile, out along the guide line provided by the template, is to be laid with respect to an unfilled rectangular space frequently left between the last laid old tile and the marginal edge of a wall or the like, which space is of a similar area to that of the tile being laid. This necessitates that a tile be severed to provide a part which fits into such space between the last laid old tile and the marginal straight edge or wall. To accomplish this, the common practice has been to butt a tile against the wall, overlapping in relation to the last laid tile, scoring a line across the last laid tile at the overlapping edge of the tile butted against the wall, removing the last laid tile and severing it along the line to provide a part equal in area to the space to be filled.

Accordingly, the principal objects of the present invention are:

To simplify the laying of square, rectangular or triangular tile and to eliminate the prior difficulties in fitting a part of an old tile in the space between the last laid tile or tiles and the wall or marginal edge bounding the zone in which the tile is laid.

To provide a simple, efiicient, durable and inexpensive implement of simplified construction, positive and accurate in operation, for readily determining the size and shape of the part of tile to be fitted into a given space.

To provide such an implement which can be utilized in connection with laying square tile of a number of standard sizes parallel with, perpendicular to, or diagonal to the marginal edge.

To provide such an implement which does not require any great skill on the part of the user.

To provide such an implement which is particularly, though not restrictively, adapted for use in laying square floor tile formed of asphalt, rubber, linoleum, wood or cellulosic or plastic material, although it is likewise adapted for laying square or rectangular tile blocks, or the like, on ceilings or walls.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, performing a part hereof, and in which:

:FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a tile-measuring implement made in accordance with my invention shown with one of its ends against a wall with its opposite end overlying a tile to be marked or cut to provide a section to fit the space between the edge of a previously laid tile or tiles and the wall.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of the implement with the tile removed.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational detail view of a tile engaging and supporting plate.

With continuing reference to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts, numerals 1 and 2 indicate generally side frame members; 3 and 4 indicate cross members pivotally attached, respectively, at 5-6 and 78 to the side frame members 1 and 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the side frame members 1 and 2 are of Z-section. \Slidably mounted upon the inwardly opposing flanges 10 and 11 of the frame members is a tile-supporting and engaging plate 12 turned downwardly into a forward flange 13 and upwardly into a rearward flange 14. The side marginal portions of the plate 12 are bent downwardly and inwardly at 15, then downwardly and outwardly on an angle as at 16 for slidable engagement with the opposing bottom flanges 10 and 11 of the side frame members 1 and 2.

From the foregoing, and with particular reference to FIG. 1, it will be readily apparent that by holding a tile 11 and the plate 12 stationary in line, for example, with previously laid tiles 20-21 and moving the implement forward to cause the forward cross member 3 to abut a wall W, the corresponding forward movement of the rear cross member 4 will place its leading straight edge 22' across the tile 11 on a line spaced from the rear edge 23 of the tile 11 a distance exactly equal to that of the space S between the wall and the leading edge of the tile.

What I claim is:

1. An implement for use in measuring and laying square or rectangular tile of given dimensions, comprising a frame consisting of two side frame members interconnected at their ends by front and :rear cross members,

one edge of one of said cross members adapted for abutment against a wall with the other said cross member overlying said tile,

a tile-supporting plate carried by said side frame members and movable therealong relative to said front and rear cross members in a direction parallel to said side frame members,

said plate adapted to support a tile to be laid with the rear edge of the tile aligned with the front edge of the last laid tile and with its front edge in spaced relation to said wall,

said front cross member slidable with the frame forwardly relative to said tile to be laid to contact said wall whereby the width of said space between the wall and the front edge of the tile supported on said plate will be equal to the distance between the forward edge of said rear cross member and the rearward edge of said tile, and whereby said tile when severed along said leading edge of said rear cross member will be of a width equal to the space between the wall and said front edge for fully occupying said space.

2. An implement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said side frame members are of Z-section having a top lateral flange and a bottom lateral flange,

wherein said tile supporting and carrying plate has a downwardly extending forward flange and upwardly extending rearward flange, and

wherein marginal side portions of said plate are bent downwardly, inwardly then outwardly for slidable engagement with said bottom lateral flanges of, said side frame members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Zangrando 33-42 Crain 3341 F Cossock 33-41 E Marr 33174 R 4 3,183,598 5/1965 Parr 33-174 G 3,548,505 12/ 1970 Candilo 33180 R LEONARD FORMAN, Primary Examiner 5 D. A. DEARING, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 3332, 41 R 

